Key Takeaways
- According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, Father Paul Desrosiers reportedly sexually abused two boys while serving at St. Joseph Church in Woonsocket, RI, during the early 1960s.
- Desrosiers died in 1984 and was added to the Diocese of Providence’s list of credibly accused clergy in 2019.
- Rhode Island’s childhood sexual abuse revival window may provide legal options for survivors seeking accountability from institutions that enabled abuse.
Who Was Father Paul Desrosiers?
Father Paul E. Desrosiers (not to be confused with Fr. Alfred R. Desrosiers, another Diocese of Providence priest accused of sexual abuse) was a priest of the Diocese of Providence who served in Rhode Island for more than four decades.
Desrosiers was born on May 12, 1913, and ordained on May 18, 1940. During his career, he served at several parishes throughout the Diocese of Providence and was a member of the Diocesan Tribunal from 1959 to 1968.
Desrosiers retired from active ministry in July 1981 and died in 1984 from injuries in a bus crash in Spain.
According to the Attorney Generals 2026 Clergy Abuse Report, “While the first documented report of child sexual abuse by Desrosiers dates to 1995, the information contained in the records produced by the Diocese suggest that at least some church officials had prior knowledge of possible misconduct by him.”
“His name was added in 2019 to the Diocese’s list of those credibly accused of the sexual abuse of a minor, noting that the allegations were received after Desrosiers’ death.” (Bishop Accountability)
Father Paul Desrosiers Assignment History
Known assignments of Father Paul Desrosiers include:
- St. Vincent de Paul Church, Coventry (1940–1943)
- St. John the Baptist Church, West Warwick (1943–1946)
- St. Joseph Church, Woonsocket (1946–1951)
- Precious Blood Church, Woonsocket (1951–1960)
- Diocesan Tribunal (1959–1968)
- St. Joseph Church, Woonsocket (1960–1973)
- Leave of Absence (January–August 1973)
- St. John the Baptist Church, West Warwick (1973–1981)
- Retired (1981)
Summary of Allegations Against Father Paul Desrosiers
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, “Father Paul Desrosiers reportedly sexually abused two boys in the early 1960s when he was the administrator of St. Joseph Church in Woonsocket, RI. Both incidents were allegedly reported to the assistant pastor at St. Joseph, Father Adrien Menard, in the early 1960s and early 1970s. However, the records produced by the Diocese to this Office do not reveal what Menard–who would himself later appear on the Diocese’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy–did with these reports.”
The Diocese’s first documented report involving Desrosiers was received in 1995.
The second complaint was received in 2019 and was reported to Rhode Island State Police. Because Desrosiers died in 1984, no criminal investigation could proceed.
One complainant alleged that Desrosiers sexually abused him repeatedly between the ages of 10 and 13. The priest reportedly took him “on overnight trips to New York City, Long Island, and Desrosiers’s private residence on Hiawatha Lake in Massachusetts. In a 2019 report to the Diocese, [he] stated that while Desrosiers often brought him there alone, on other occasions Desrosiers brought other young boys as well. [He] stated that he believed he was drugged during many of these trips.”
Another victim alleged that Desrosiers attempted to sexually abuse him when he was an eight-year-old altar boy at St. Joseph Church.
For additional information regarding allegations against Desrosiers and the Diocese’s response, readers may review Appendix A of Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence and sources compiled by Bishop Accountability.
Civil Claims Under Rhode Island’s Childhood Sexual Abuse Revival Window
Although Father Paul Desrosiers died decades ago, Rhode Island’s recently enacted childhood sexual abuse revival window has created an opportunity for survivors to pursue civil claims that may have previously been barred by the statute of limitations.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Rhode Island and nationwide. Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to every case, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered throughout the legal process.
If you were abused by Father Paul Desrosiers or another member of the clergy, we encourage you to speak with an attorney about your rights and potential legal options. Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
Contact us today to learn more.
